ROGERS -- One inning can make all the difference, especially in state tournament play.
Cabot erupted with seven runs in the sixth inning and defeated Springdale Har-Ber, 8-4, Friday in the Class 7A state tournament at Veterans Park. Seven consecutive batters reached base in the sixth for Cabot (26-4), which fell behind 4-1 after five.
Cabot 8, Springdale Har-Ber 4
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Cabot^010^007^X—^8^8^2
Stockalper and Ray; Goodnight, Felder (4) and Felder, Spears (4). W - Felder L - Stockalper HRs - None
Hannah Montgomery and Heather Hill each had two-run singles in the sixth for Cabot, which advanced to today's semifinal game against Van Buren at 2:30 p.m.
"We knew time was running out and that we needed to manufacture some runs," Cabot coach Chris Cope said. "It was like a domino affect and everybody started doing what they were supposed to."
Har-Ber's defeat concluded an 0-for-4 showing by the 7A-West Conference Friday after Bentonville, Rogers High and Rogers Heritage were each eliminated earlier in the day.
Har-Ber appeared in control after five innings behind Emily Stockalper, who won a state tournament game as a freshman four years ago. But Cabot collected five hits in the sixth and took a 5-4 lead when a throw from shortstop Heidi Bogle went wide of the plate. Har-Ber also failed to field a couple of other balls cleanly and Hill made the Lady Wildcats pay with a two-run single up the middle to give Cabot a 7-4 lead.
"One frame on the scoreboard tilted it," Har-Ber coach Lynn Lawson said. "We needed to make some routine plays here and there in that inning, but they really hit the ball, too."
Kaitlyn Felder came on in the fourth inning and earned the pitching victory for Cabot after starting the game at catcher. She finished the game by striking out the side in the seventh.
Har-Ber (15-10) grabbed a 4-1 lead with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Chloe Wheeler put Har-Ber ahead with an RBI double and Taylor Vanhook followed with a two-run double.
Har-Ber took a 1-0 lead in the first inning with the help of two walks and a hit batter by Cabot starting pitcher Megan Goodnight. Har-Ber left the bases loaded in the first inning and again in the third when Stockalper led off with a double.
Cabot tied the game 1-1 on a run-scoring single by Montgomery.
Sports on 05/16/2015